Nozzle installation jig

ABSTRACT

Described herein is a technique capable of properly attaching a nozzle to a reaction tube. According to one aspect thereof, there is provided a nozzle installation jig including: a lower plate configured to make contact with a process vessel in a vicinity of a lower end opening of the process vessel in which a nozzle is provided; a frame fixed to the lower plate and extending upward with respect to the lower plate; an upper plate fixed to the frame and provided with a sensor configured to detect a position of the nozzle in the process vessel; and a notification device configured to transmit a notification to an operator according to a detection result of the sensor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This non-provisional U.S. patent application claims priority under 35U.S.C. § 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-023868, filed onFeb. 14, 2020, in the Japanese Patent Office, the entire contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference.

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a nozzle installation jig.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device(hereinafter, also simply referred to as an “IC”), according to somerelated arts, a substrate processing apparatus capable forming a film ona semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a“wafer”) on which the IC is manufactured may be used. In the substrateprocessing apparatus, after a boat accommodating a plurality of waferstherein is transferred into a process chamber by a boat elevator, a gasis supplied into the process chamber through a gas supply pipe and anozzle.

For example, the nozzle is made of quartz. The nozzle is formed byjoining a vertical portion thereof with a horizontal portion thereof inan L shape. An end portion of the horizontal portion of the nozzle madeof quartz is inserted into a manifold made of a metal such as stainlesssteel. Then, a metal joint is fixed to a portion around the insertedportion of the nozzle by using a fastener such as a screw.

However, it is difficult to check a state of an upper portion of thenozzle, and it takes time to set up the nozzle so that the nozzle doesnot come into contact with the boat.

SUMMARY

Described herein is a technique capable of properly attaching a nozzleto a reaction tube.

According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure,there is provided a nozzle installation jig including: a lower plateconfigured to make contact with a process vessel in a vicinity of alower end opening of the process vessel in which a nozzle is provided; aframe fixed to the lower plate and extending upward with respect to thelower plate; an upper plate fixed to the frame and provided with asensor configured to detect a position of the nozzle in the processvessel; and a notification device configured to transmit a notificationto an operator according to a detection result of the sensor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a vertical cross-section of a verticaltype process furnace of a substrate processing apparatus preferably usedin one or more embodiments described herein.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a horizontal cross-section taken alongthe line A-A′ of the vertical type process furnace of the substrateprocessing apparatus preferably used in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a joint and its peripheral structurepreferably used in the embodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically illustrate a nozzle installation jigaccording to the embodiments described herein, where FIG. 4Aschematically illustrates a side view of the nozzle installation jig andFIG. 4B schematically illustrates an enlarged view inside a broken linecircle shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a vertical cross-section of thevertical type process furnace of the substrate processing apparatus whenthe nozzle installation jig according to the embodiments is installed ina reaction tube.

FIG. 6A schematically illustrates a side view of the nozzle installationjig when a position of the nozzle is proper, and FIG. 6B is a side viewof the nozzle installation jig when the position of the nozzle is notproper.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a vertical cross-section of thevertical type process furnace of the substrate processing apparatus whena nozzle installation jig according to a modified example of theembodiments is installed in the reaction tube.

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an enlarged view inside a broken linecircle shown in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a vertical cross-section of thevertical type process furnace of the substrate processing apparatus whena nozzle installation jig according to another modified example of theembodiments is installed in the reaction tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments

Hereinafter, one or more embodiments (hereinafter, simply referred to as“embodiments”) according to the technique of the present disclosure willbe described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a process furnace 202 of a substrate processingapparatus preferably used in the embodiments includes a reaction tube203. For example, the reaction tube 203 is made of a heat resistantmaterial such as quartz (SiO₂) and silicon carbide (SiC). The reactiontube 203 is of a cylindrical shape with an open lower end and a closedupper end. A process chamber 201 is provided in the reaction tube 203.The process chamber 201 is configured to accommodate a boat 217 capableof holding a plurality of wafers including a wafer 200 serving as asubstrate vertically arranged in a horizontal orientation in amultistage manner. Hereinafter, the plurality of the wafers includingthe wafer 200 may also be simply referred to as the wafers 200.

A heater 207 serving as a heating apparatus (heating structure) isprovided on an outer circumference of the reaction tube 203. The heater207 is of a cylindrical shape, and is vertically installed while beingsupported by a heater base 413 (shown in FIG. 3 ).

A manifold 209 is provided under the reaction tube 203 so as to beconcentric with the reaction tube 203. For example, the manifold 209 ismade of a metal such as stainless steel (SUS), and is of a cylindricalshape with open upper and lower ends. An upper flange and a lower flangeare provided at the upper end and the lower end of the manifold 209,respectively. The upper flange is engaged with the reaction tube 203 soas to support the reaction tube 203. An O-ring 220 a serving as a sealis provided between the manifold 209 and the reaction tube 203. As themanifold 209 is connected to the heater base 413 in a hanging state by ahanging support (not shown), the reaction tube 203 is installedvertically so as to be concentric with the heater 207. A reaction vessel(also referred to as a “process vessel”) is constituted mainly by thereaction tube 203 and the manifold 209.

A first nozzle 233 a serving as a first gas introduction structure, asecond nozzle 233 b serving as a second gas introduction structure, anda third nozzle 233 c serving as a third gas introduction structure areprovided at the manifold 209 so as to penetrate a side wall of themanifold 209. Vertical portions of the first nozzle 233 a, the secondnozzle 233 b and the third nozzle 233 c are installed in a space of anarc shape between an inner wall of the reaction tube 203 constitutingthe process chamber 201 and the wafers 200 accommodated in the processchamber 201 so as to extend from a lower portion to an upper portion ofthe inner wall of the reaction tube 203 along a stacking direction ofthe wafers 200. Each of the first nozzle 233 a, the second nozzle 233 band the third nozzle 233 c is provided with a plurality of gas supplyholes (also referred to as “gas supply holes”) 248 a on a side surfacethereof. The gas supply holes 248 a serve as supply holes configured tosupply gases such as process gases described later.

A first gas supply pipe 232 a, a second gas supply pipe 232 b and athird gas supply pipe 232 c are connected to the first nozzle 233 a, thesecond nozzle 233 b and the third nozzle 233 c, respectively. That is,the three gas supply pipes 232 a, 232 b and 232 c serving as gas supplypaths are provided in the process chamber 201 such that various gases(for example, three types of the process gases) can be supplied into theprocess chamber 201 through the three gas supply pipes 232 a, 232 b and232 c.

A mass flow controller 241 a serving as a flow rate controller (flowrate control structure) and a valve 243 a serving as an opening/closingvalve are sequentially installed at the first gas supply pipe 232 a froman upstream side to a downstream side of the first gas supply pipe 232a. A first inert gas supply pipe 234 a configured to supply an inert gasis connected to the first gas supply pipe 232 a at a downstream side ofthe valve 243 a. A mass flow controller 241 c serving as a flow ratecontroller (flow rate control structure) and a valve 243 c serving as anopening/closing valve are sequentially installed at the first inert gassupply pipe 234 a from an upstream side to a downstream side of thefirst inert gas supply pipe 234 a. The first nozzle 233 a describe aboveis connected to a front end (tip) of the first gas supply pipe 232 a.

Similarly, a mass flow controller 241 b and a valve 243 b aresequentially installed at the second gas supply pipe 232 b. A secondinert gas supply pipe 234 b is connected to the second gas supply pipe232 b at a downstream side of the valve 243 b. A mass flow controller241 d and a valve 243 d are sequentially installed at the second inertgas supply pipe 234 b.

Similarly, a mass flow controller 241 e and a valve 243 e aresequentially installed at the third gas supply pipe 232 c. A third inertgas supply pipe 234 c is connected to the third gas supply pipe 232 c ata downstream side of the valve 243 e. A mass flow controller 241 f and avalve 243 f are sequentially installed at the third inert gas supplypipe 234 c.

For example, a gas supply source (for example, a cylinder) configured tosupply a gas containing an oxygen atom (also referred to as an“oxygen-containing gas”) may be connected to the first gas supply pipe232 a.

For example, a gas supply source (for example, a cylinder) configured tosupply a gas containing a hydrogen atom (also referred to as a“hydrogen-containing gas”) may be connected to the second gas supplypipe 232 b.

For example, a gas supply source (for example, a cylinder) configured tosupply a source gas such as a gas containing a silicon atom (alsoreferred to as a “silicon-containing gas”) may be connected to the thirdgas supply pipe 232 c. For example, hexachlorodisilane (Si₂Cl₆,abbreviated as HCDS) gas may be used as the source gas.

In addition, the reaction tube 203 may further include one or morenozzle chambers (not shown) formed by projecting a part of a sideportion of the reaction tube 203 to the outside thereof. Hereinafter,the one or more nozzle chambers may also simply referred to as “nozzlechambers”. When the reaction tube 203 includes the nozzle chambers, thefirst nozzle 233 a, the second nozzle 233 b and the third nozzle 233 cmay be arranged in the nozzle chambers, respectively.

An exhaust pipe 231 configured to exhaust an inner atmosphere of theprocess chamber 201 is provided at the manifold 209. A vacuum pump 246serving as a vacuum exhaust apparatus is connected to the exhaust pipe231 through a pressure sensor 245 and an APC (Automatic PressureController) valve 242. The pressure sensor 245 serves as a pressuredetector and the APC valve 242 serves as a pressure regulator (pressurecontroller). The APC valve 242 may be embodied by an opening/closingvalve. The APC valve 242 may be opened or closed to vacuum-exhaust theprocess chamber 201 or stop the vacuum exhaust, and an opening degree ofthe APC valve 242 may be adjusted in order to adjust an inner pressureof the process chamber 201. That is, with the vacuum pump 246 inoperation, by adjusting the opening degree of the APC valve 242 based ona pressure detected by the pressure sensor 245, the process chamber 201is vacuum-exhausted in order to control (adjust) the inner pressure ofthe process chamber 201 to a predetermined pressure (vacuum degree). Anexhaust system is constituted mainly by the exhaust pipe 231, thepressure sensor 245, the APC valve 242 and the vacuum pump 246.

A seal cap 219 serving as a furnace opening lid capable of airtightlysealing a lower end opening of the manifold 209 is provided under themanifold 209. The seal cap 219 is in contact with the lower flange ofthe manifold 209 from thereunder. An O-ring 220 b serving as a seal isprovided on an upper surface of the seal cap 219 so as to be in contactwith the lower flange of the manifold 209. A rotator 267 configured tosupport and to rotate the boat 217 serving as a substrate retainerdescribed later is provided under the seal cap 219 opposite to theprocess chamber 201. A rotating shaft 255 of the rotator 267 isconnected to the boat 217 through the seal cap 219. A boat elevator 115is provided outside the reaction tube 203 vertically. The seal cap 219may be elevated or lowered in the vertical direction by the boatelevator 115.

For example, the boat 217 serving as a substrate retainer is made of aheat resistant material such as quartz and silicon carbide. The boat 217is configured to support the wafers 200 in a multistage manner, whilethe wafers 200 are horizontally oriented with their centers aligned witheach other. An insulating structure 218 may be provided under the boat217. For example, the insulating structure 218 is made of a heatresistant material such as quartz and silicon carbide. A temperaturesensor 263 serving as a temperature detector is provided in the reactiontube 203. Similar to the first nozzle 233 a, the second nozzle 233 b andthe third nozzle 233 c, the temperature sensor 263 may be installedalong the inner wall of the reaction tube 203.

A controller 280 serving as a control device (control structure) isconfigured to control components of the substrate processing apparatus.

Subsequently, the relationship between a furnace opening box 412, thefirst nozzle 233 a, and the first gas supply pipe 232 a will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 3 .

An upstream side (base) of the first nozzle 233 a connected to the firstgas supply pipe 232 a is of an L shape, and a horizontal portion of thefirst nozzle 233 a horizontally penetrates the side wall of the manifold209. An O-ring 416 is provided between the horizontal portion of thefirst nozzle 233 a and the side wall of the manifold 209 to ensure theairtightness in the process chamber 201. For example, according to theembodiments, a nozzle port 210 of a tubular shape extending radiallyfrom the side wall of the manifold 209 is provided. An inner diameter ofthe nozzle port 210 is slightly greater than an outer diameter of thehorizontal portion of the first nozzle 233 a. The first gas supply pipe232 a is inserted into the nozzle port 210 while the O-ring 416 isprovided between the first gas supply pipe 232 a and the first nozzle233 a.

The upstream side of the first nozzle 233 a protrudes outward from theside wall of the manifold 209, and is airtightly coupled to a joint 415provided at a downstream end of the first gas supply pipe 232 a. Adownstream end of the first nozzle 233 a is bent vertically upward inthe reaction tube 203.

Since the first nozzle 233 a is heated by the heater 207, the firstnozzle 233 a is made of a heat resistant material (for example, anon-metallic material such as quartz and silicon carbide). The upstreamside (which is a base) of the first nozzle 233 a may be made of a metalsuch as a nickel alloy.

A nozzle tilt adjusting structure is provided below the bent portion ofthe first nozzle 233 a. The nozzle tilt adjusting structure may include:a pedestal (also referred to as a “bracket”) 421 provided on an innerwall of the manifold 209; and a tilt adjusting screw 422 that verticallypenetrates a screw hole provided in the pedestal 421. By adjusting aheight of the tilt adjusting screw 422 and bringing an upper end of thetilt adjusting screw 422 into contact with the bent portion of the firstnozzle 233 a from thereunder, it is possible to adjust a tilt of thefirst nozzle 233 a or distances between the gas supply holes 248 a ofthe first nozzle 233 a and the wafers 200. In addition, the bent portionof the first nozzle 233 a which the tilt adjusting screw 422 contactsmay be made of a metal, and a base of a block shape may be provided atthe bent portion.

The furnace opening box (also referred to as a “scavenger”) 412 isprovided on an outer circumference of the side wall of the manifold 209and below the heater 207. The furnace opening box 412 is constitutedmainly by a furnace opening box wall 423 and an exhaust port 424. Thefurnace opening box wall 423 refers to a wall surrounding the outside ofthe manifold 209 with the heater base 413, and the exhaust port 424 isconfigured to exhaust an inner atmosphere of the furnace opening box412. A hole or an explicit intake port is provided on the furnaceopening box wall 423. Components such as the first gas supply pipe 232 amay penetrate the hole or the explicit intake port. The furnace openingbox wall 423 and the first gas supply pipe 232 a may not be airtightlyfixed. The first gas supply pipe 232 a is provided so as to be movablein an axial direction of the nozzle port 210 by bending the upstreamside of the first gas supply pipe 232 a.

The furnace opening box 412 is configured to locally capture the gasleakage that occurs at components such as the joint 415. The leaked gasis exhausted through the exhaust port 424 together with the airintroduced through components such as the intake port, and is processedby an detoxification apparatus provided outside the substrate processingapparatus. The furnace opening box 412 may be exhausted while an inneratmosphere thereof is isolated. Therefore, an inner pressure of thefurnace opening box 412 may be set to almost atmospheric pressure.

The joint 415 is accommodated in the furnace opening box 412. As shownin FIG. 3 , the joint 415 is provided so as to cover an upstream end ofthe first nozzle 233 a and the downstream end of the first gas supplypipe 232 a. The joint 415 is made of a metal, and is fixed so that thefirst nozzle 233 a and the first gas supply pipe 232 a can communicatewith each other. For example, the joint 415 according to the presentembodiments is provided on the first gas supply pipe 232 a. The joint415 is of a shape corresponding to the first nozzle 233 a, which isfitted thereto, or an engaging portion 211 of the nozzle port 210, andis configured to be removable. When fixing the joint 415, a fastenersuch as a screw (not shown) may be used.

In FIG. 3 , for convenience of explanation, a combination of the firstnozzle 233 a and the first gas supply pipe 232 a is shown. However, acombination of the second nozzle 233 b and the second gas supply pipe232 b and a combination of the third nozzle 233 c and the third gassupply pipe 232 c may be the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 3 .However, the embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, only onecombination among the combinations described above is configured asshown in FIG. 3 .

Subsequently, a structure of the joint 415 and its peripheral structurewill be described. The first nozzle 233 a is attached to the nozzle port210 via the O-ring 416. The downstream end of the first gas supply pipe232 a is disposed to face the upstream end of the first nozzle 233 a. Amaterial of the first gas supply pipe 232 a is selected in considerationof a corrosion resistance to the gas to be conveyed through the firstgas supply pipe 232 a. For example, the first gas supply pipe 232 a ismade of the material such as stainless steel.

The first nozzle 233 a and the first gas supply pipe 232 a are adjacentto each other with a gap therebetween. In the present specification, aspace including the gap described above is referred to as an “adjacentportion 419”. The gap is configured to prevent the first nozzle 233 aand the first gas supply pipe 232 a from generating particles by cominginto contact with each other. The gap is also configured to reducedifferences in the thermal expansion of components such as the firstnozzle 233 a and the first gas supply pipe 232 a.

Since the first gas supply pipe 232 a is made of a metal, the first gassupply pipe 232 a can be easily and airtightly connected to the joint415 made of a metal by bonding such as welding. The joint 415 airtightlyconnects an inner peripheral surface thereof and an outer peripheralsurface of the first nozzle 233 a via O-rings 417 and 418. The O-rings416, 417 and 418 are made of a seal material such as fluorine-basedrubber whose heat resistance and corrosion resistance are excellent.

The joint 415 and the nozzle port 210 are mechanically fixed by using awell-known fastener (not shown) such as a flange or a union nut (bagnut). The fastener described above aligns central axes of the firstnozzle 233 a and the first gas supply pipe 232 a, and restrains thejoint 415 and the engaging portion 211 of the nozzle port 210. When thejoint 415 and the nozzle port 210 are fixed, the O-rings 417 and 418 arepressed against each other by a component such as a ferrule (not shown).As a result, the first nozzle 233 a is also fastened.

The O-ring 418 is provided between a flange 415 a and the first nozzle233 a. The O-ring 418 is also provided between the nozzle port 210 andthe O-ring 417. The O-ring 418 may come into contact with theatmosphere. A pressure adjustment space 420 is provided between theO-ring 417 and the O-ring 418. In the present specification, thepressure adjustment space 420 refers to a space surrounded mainly by anouter wall of the first nozzle 233 a, the flange 415 a, the O-ring 417and the O-ring 418.

Since the pressure adjustment space 420 is isolated from the adjacentportion 419 and the process chamber 201, the pressure adjustment space420 is less affected by a pressure fluctuation in the process chamber201 when a substrate processing is performed in the process chamber 201.That is, it is possible to disperse and reduce the pressure fluctuationand the influence caused by the pressure fluctuation using the O-rings417 and 418. Alternatively, when focusing on an unfavorablepredetermined gas (for example, oxygen), it is possible to disperse andreduce an oxygen concentration difference (gradient) using the O-rings417 and 418 so as to reduce an amount of the oxygen permeation. Thepressure adjustment space 420 is not limited to a sealed space. Forexample, the pressure adjustment space 420 may be purged with a gas (forexample, pure nitrogen) without containing a predetermined gas. In somecases, an inner pressure of the pressure adjustment space 420 may bemaintained at a pressure approximately the same as an inner pressure ofa space 412 a of the furnace opening box 412. When the pressureadjustment space 420 and the space 412 a are at approximately the samepressure, it is possible to suppress a flow of atmospheric componentsfrom the space 412 a to the pressure adjustment space 420. Since oxygencomponents do not flow in the pressure adjustment space 420, it ispossible to suppress the atmospheric components from flowing into theadjacent portion 419.

Hereinafter, a method of installing the nozzle such as the first nozzle233 a of the substrate processing apparatus according to the presentembodiments will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A through 6B.

In the method of installing the nozzle according to the presentembodiments, a nozzle installation jig 10 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B isused. The nozzle installation jig 10 is used for each of the firstnozzle 233 a, the second nozzle 233 b and the third nozzle 233 c.However, since the configuration and the operation of the nozzleinstallation jig 10 are the same in principle for each of the firstnozzle 233 a, the second nozzle 233 b and the third nozzle 233 c, forconvenience of explanation, the embodiments will be described by way ofan example in which the nozzle installation jig 10 is used forinstalling the first nozzle 233 a.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the nozzle installation jig 10 includes: aframe 11 of a rod shape; a lower plate 12 provided at a lower end of theframe 11; an upper plate 13 provided at an upper end of the frame 11; asensor 14 fixed on the upper plate 13; a lamp 15 serving as anotification device such as a light emitting diode (LED) and configuredto change the display according to the result detected by the sensor 14;and a battery box 16 containing a battery for operating the lamp 15. Theframe 11, the lower plate 12 and the upper plate 13 are fixed by afastener such as bolts and pins.

The lower plate 12 is provided with a reference surface 12 a on an uppersurface thereof. The reference surface 12 a makes contact with a lowerend surface 209 b of the lower flange of the manifold 209. For example,the reference surface 12 a according to the embodiments is made of a lowdust generation material (for example, a fluororesin such aspolytetrafluoroethylene) that hardly generates particles even whenrubbed against a metal. The reference surface 12 a makes contact onlywith the lower end surface 209 b and does not contact an innerperipheral surface of the manifold 209. It is sufficient for thereference surface 12 a to maintain a constant position of the lowerplate 12 in the vertical direction with reference to the lower endsurface 209 b of the manifold 209. That is, the reference surface 12 amay not be a flat surface, and the contact between the reference surface12 a and the lower end surface 209 b may be made only at a single pointas long as the position of the lower plate 12 can be determined in thevertical direction with reference to the lower end surface 209 b.However, in order to prevent the nozzle installation jig 10 fromswinging, it is preferable that the reference surface 12 a makes contactwith the lower end surface 209 b at at least two points.

The frame 11 is fixed to the lower plate 12 and extends verticallyupward with respect to the reference surface 12 a. A length of the frame11 corresponds to a length of the nozzle such as the first nozzle 233 ain the vertical direction. For example, the frame 11 according to theembodiments is a circular tube or a square tube made of aluminum throughwhich an electric cable described later is inserted.

The upper plate 13 is fixed to the frame 11. The upper plate 13 isprovided with a contact surface 13 a that makes contact with an innersurface of the reaction tube 203. The contact surface 13 a may also bereferred to as a “contact structure 13 a”. For example, the contactsurface 13 a according to the embodiments is made of a low dustgeneration material. It is sufficient that the contact surface 13 a isconfigured to maintain a constant distance between the inner surface ofthe reaction tube 203 and the sensor 14 in a radial direction of thereaction tube 203. That is, the contact surface 13 a may not be a flatsurface, and the contact between the contact surface 13 a and the innersurface of the reaction tube 203 may be made only at a single point aslong as the distance between the inner surface of the reaction tube 203and the sensor 14 can be determined. However, it is preferable that thecontact surface 13 a makes contact with the inner surface of thereaction tube 203 at at least two points, wherein a distance betweeneach point and one side of the sensor 14 is substantially equal to adistance between each point and the other side of the sensor 14. In thiscase, the sensor 14 and two of the at least two points of the contactsurface 13 a form an isosceles triangle. When the nozzle such as thefirst nozzle 233 a is arranged in one of the nozzle chambers, the twopoints of the contact surface 13 a are separated from each other by awidth wider than a width of each of the nozzle chambers such that thecontact surface 13 a makes contact with a cylindrical portion of thereaction tube 203. The contact surface 13 a is not limited to thestructure that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the reactiontube 203. For example, the contact surface 13 a may extend in thedirection perpendicular to the radial direction so as to make contactwith the inner surface of the reaction tube 203.

The sensor 14 may be embodied by a contact type sensor configured todetect a position of the first nozzle 233 a. For example, the sensor 14includes a limit switch (now shown). The sensor 14 is fixed to the upperplate 13 so that a detector (or a lever) 17 faces the outside of thereaction tube 203. For example, the sensor 14 according to theembodiments includes a make contact configured to close a circuitthereof when a detection target approaches the detector 17 more than apredetermined value or contacts the detector 17 or when the detector 17is displaced. That is, the sensor 14 may be embodied by a contact typesensor configured to be turned on and off according to a displacementamount of the detector 17. For example, the sensor 14 is configured todetect a relative position of the nozzle such as the first nozzle 233 awith respect to an inner surface of the process vessel when the lowerplate 12 is in contact with a lower end of a peripheral vicinity of alower end opening of the process vessel and the upper plate 13 is incontact with the inner surface of the process vessel. The lamp 15 isconfigured to transmit, to the operator, a notification indicating acurrent detection state of the sensor 14 or the change of the detectionstate. While the above description is directed to an example in whichthe lamp 15 is configured to notify the operator of the currentdetection state of the sensor 14 or the change of the detection state bya visual display, the embodiments are not limited thereto. For example,instead of or in addition to the visual display, the current detectionstate of the sensor 14 or the change of the detection state may benotified using an audible notification. When the lamp 15 is constitutedby the LED, it may face downward (that is, the LED is configured to emitthe light downward) so that the operator can easily check a lightingstate (for example, a turn-on state and a turn-off state) of the lamp15. When a break contact is used instead of the make contact, the lamp15 may also serve as the lighting. Alternatively, another LED thatpermanently keeps on may be provided for the lighting.

The battery box 16 is provided at a lower surface of the lower plate 12,and a sealed battery provided in the battery box 16 supplies theelectric power to the lamp 15. That is, a circuit is constituted by thebattery, the lamp 15 and the sensor 14 connected in series by theelectric cable. By providing the battery box 16 at the lower plate 12,an upper side of the nozzle installation jig 10 is lighter than a lowerside thereof and, and the nozzle installation jig 10 is less likely tofall over. As a result, the operator can easily handle the nozzleinstallation jig 10.

When attaching the first nozzle 233 a to the manifold 209, thehorizontal portion of the first nozzle 233 a is inserted into the nozzleport 210 of the manifold 209 through the process chamber 201. Here, thefirst nozzle 233 a is of an L-shape with the horizontal portion and thevertical portion. Since the vertical portion of the first nozzle 233 ais formed to be extremely longer than the horizontal portion of thefirst nozzle 233 a, the bent portion where the vertical portion and thehorizontal portion intersect may easily be lowered. Therefore, it tendsto tilt inward in the radial direction of the reaction tube 203. Whenthe first nozzle 233 a is properly installed, the vertical portion isseparated from the inner wall of the reaction tube 203 by about severalmillimeters (mm).

As shown in FIG. 5 , the nozzle installation jig 10 is attached in thereaction tube 203 with the seal cap 219 lowered. When the nozzleinstallation jig 10 is being attached, the operator holds the lowerplate 12 or the frame 11 while the reference surface 12 a on the uppersurface of the lower plate 12 is in contact with a lower surface of themanifold 209 directly below the first nozzle 233 a. With the referencesurface 12 a in contact with the lower surface of the manifold 209directly below the first nozzle 233 a, the contact surface 13 a on aside surface of the upper plate 13 is brought by the operator intocontact with the inner surface of the reaction tube 203. The contactbetween the contact surface 13 a and the inner surface of the reactiontube 203 is usually perceived by the touch or the sound. In such astate, the operator checks the lighting state of the lamp 15.

As shown in FIG. 6A, when the first nozzle 233 a is tilted (or inclined)outward in the radial direction of the reaction tube 203 from apredetermined proper position, the first nozzle 233 a and the detector17 do not come into contact with each other, and the lamp 15 such as theLED is turned off. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the firstnozzle 233 a is tilted inward in the radial direction of the reactiontube 203 from the predetermined proper position, the first nozzle 233 aand the detector 17 come into contact with each other, and the lamp 15is turned on. The lamp 15 may also be turned on when the first nozzle233 a is farther from the inner surface of the reaction tube 203 thanthe predetermined proper position. This means that, when the lamp 15 isturned on, the position of the first nozzle 233 a is not proper.Therefore, what the operator should do is to remove the nozzleinstallation jig 10 and adjust the tilt adjusting screw 422 so that theinward tilt (or the inclination) of the nozzle such as the first nozzle233 a is reduced. Then, the operator attaches the nozzle installationjig 10 again, and checks the lighting state of the lamp 15. Theoperation described above is performed repeatedly until the lamp 15 isturned off. On the other hand, when the lamp 15 is turned off in a firsttrial of the operation described above, this time the first nozzle 233 amay be tilted outward from the predetermined proper position. In thiscase, the tilt adjusting screw 422 is adjusted repeatedly to tilt thenozzle inward until the turn-on of the lamp 15 is confirmed. Thereafter,the tilt adjusting screw 422 is adjusted once again so that the nozzleis tilted outward. Then, when it is confirmed that the lamp 15 is turnedoff, an operation of installing the nozzle installation jig 10 iscompleted.

Alternatively, the nozzle installation jig 10 may remain without beingremoved when adjusting the tilt adjusting screw 422, and may betemporarily fixed to the lower flange of the manifold 209 with acomponent such as a clamp. For such a case, the lower plate 12 is formedinto a shape that does not interfere with the movement of a nozzlesupport 425 to a fixing structure. For example, the lower plate 12 isprovided with a hole 12 b (shown in FIG. 9 ) through which a screwdriver(not shown) is inserted. The screwdriver is used to tighten and loosenthe tilt adjusting screw 422 such that the tilt adjusting screw 422pushes up the bottom of the nozzle support 425 or the first nozzle 233 aso as to correct the tilt in the radial direction of the reaction tube203.

With the first nozzle 233 a positioned by the nozzle installation jig10, the horizontal portion of the first nozzle 233 a is fixed to thejoint 415 installed in the nozzle port 210. By fixing the horizontalportion to the joint 415, the first nozzle 233 a is fixedly attached tothe manifold 209 while a clearance between the first nozzle 233 a and aninner peripheral surface of the process chamber 201 is maintained withthe first nozzle 233 a keeping in parallel with the inner peripheralsurface of the process chamber 201.

According to the present embodiments, it is possible to provide at leastone or more of the following effects.

(a) By inserting the horizontal portion of the nozzle into the nozzleport of the manifold using the nozzle installation jig and fixing thehorizontal portion to the nozzle port, the nozzle can be fixed to themanifold while suppressing the inward tilt (inclination) of the nozzlein the radial direction of the reaction tube. Therefore, it is possibleto properly fix the nozzle to the reaction tube.

(b) Since the nozzle can be properly fixed to the reaction tube, it ispossible to prevent the nozzle from interfering with the reaction tube,the boat or the wafer, and it is also possible to prevent the nozzle,the reaction tube, the boat or the wafer from being damaged.

(c) Since the nozzle can be properly fixed to the reaction tube, it ispossible to constantly maintain a film-forming stability which dependson the installation state of the nozzle.

(d) By using the nozzle installation jig that is attached not to thenozzle but to the reaction tube, the distance from the nozzle to theinner wall of the reaction tube can be easily grasped near a front endof the nozzle even when the nozzle is long and the front of the nozzleis out of reach of the operator. Therefore, the nozzle can be properlyfixed to the reaction tube even by working alone in a narrow space.

(e) By using the nozzle installation jig that is fixed not to the nozzlebut to the reaction tube, the contact between the nozzle and the nozzleinstallation jig can be minimized. Therefore, it is possible to suppressthe generation of the particles and scratches due to the strong contactor the rubbing.

Other Embodiments

While the technique is described in detail by way of the above-describedembodiments, the above-described technique is not limited thereto. Theabove-described technique may be modified in various ways withoutdeparting from the gist thereof.

For example, the embodiments are described by way of an example in whichthe sensor 14 and the lamp 15 are installed on the upper plate 13 of thenozzle installation jig 10. However, the technique is not limitedthereto. For example, as shown in FIG. 8 , a plurality of sensors (alsosimply referred to as “sensors”) 14 a and 14 b and a plurality of lamps(also simply referred to as “lamps”) 15 a and 15 b may be installed onthe upper plate 13 of the nozzle installation jig 10.

Similar to the above-described embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7 , thenozzle installation jig 10 is attached in the reaction tube 203 with theseal cap 219 lowered. When the nozzle installation jig 10 is attached,the frame 11 is held, the reference surface 12 a on the upper surface ofthe lower plate 12 is brought into contact with the lower surface of themanifold 209, and the contact surface 13 a on the side surface of theupper plate 13 is brought into contact with the inner surface of thereaction tube 203. In such a state, the sensors 14 a and 14 b detect thepositions of the first nozzle 233 a and the second nozzle 233 b in theradial direction of the reaction tube 203, respectively. Since thesensor 14 a and the lamp 15 a of the first nozzle 233 a are independentfrom the sensor 14 b and the lamp 15 b of the second nozzle 233 b, it ispossible to determine whether or not the position of each nozzle isproper. It is preferable that the lamps 15 a and 15 b are lit indifferent colors.

Alternatively, both of the sensors 14 a and 14 b may detect the positionof the first nozzle 233 a. For example, by arranging the sensors 14 aand 14 b orthogonal to each other, it is possible to detect and notifythe position of the first nozzle 233 a both in the radial direction andin a circumferential direction. Each of the sensors 14 a and 14 b is notlimited to a contact type sensor. For example, a well-known detectorsuch as an optical (non-contact type) distance sensor may be used aseach of the sensors 14 a and 14 b.

For example, the embodiments are described by way of an example in whichthe lower plate 12 makes contact only with the lower end surface 209 bof the manifold 209. However, the technique is not limited thereto. Forexample, the lower plate 12 may make contact with the manifold 209 or alower inner peripheral surface of the reaction tube 203. As a result,even when the lower plate 12 is not strongly pressed directly upward,the lower plate 12 is less likely to deviate, so that the burden on theoperator can be reduced. A contact surface with the lower innerperipheral surface of the reaction tube 203 can be implemented byforming a step on the lower plate 12 that makes contact with a corner ofan opening of the lower end surface 209 b.

For example, in order to determine the position of the lower plate 12 inthe radial direction, the lower plate 12 may be provided with anengaging structure 18 that engages with a positioning structure providedon a lower surface or an outer peripheral surface of the lower flange ofthe manifold 209. As shown in FIG. 9 , for example, a block 19 extendingdownward from the lower surface of the lower flange is temporarily orpermanently provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lower flangeof the manifold 209. By bringing the lower plate 12 into contact withthe block 19, the lower plate 12 is positioned in the radial direction.Further, the block 19 includes a recess (which is a concave portion) 19a serving as a positioning structure on a surface thereof by makingcontact with the lower plate 12. By engaging the engaging structure 18provided at a front end of the lower plate 12 with the recess 19 a, thelower plate 12 is also positioned in the vertical direction, and whatthe operator should do is simply to push up the frame diagonally upwardwith a force that does not cause the frame to fall inward in the radialdirection.

Alternatively, a recess serving as a positioning structure may providedon an outer peripheral side of the lower end surface of the lower flangeof the manifold 209 that lies outer than the position where the lowerflange of the manifold 209 makes contact with the O-ring 220 b, and aprotrusion (which is a convex portion) serving as an engaging structuremay be provided at the corresponding position of the lower plate 12.

For example, the embodiments are described by way of an example in whichthe substrate processing apparatus including the vertical type processfurnace is used. However, the technique is not limited thereto. Forexample, the technique may also be preferably applied when a single typesubstrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing apparatusincluding a hot wall type process furnace or a substrate processingapparatus including a cold wall type process furnace is used.

According to some embodiments of the technique in the presentdisclosure, it is possible to properly attach the nozzle to the reactiontube.

What is claimed is:
 1. A nozzle installation jig comprising: a lowerplate configured to make contact with a process vessel in a vicinity ofa lower end opening of the process vessel in which a nozzle is provided;a frame fixed to the lower plate and extending upward with respect tothe lower plate; an upper plate fixed to the frame and provided with atleast one sensor configured to detect a position of the nozzle in theprocess vessel; and a notification device configured to transmit anotification to an operator according to a detection result of the atleast one sensor.
 2. The nozzle installation jig of claim 1, wherein thelower plate is provided with a reference surface configured to makecontact with a peripheral vicinity of the lower end opening of theprocess vessel.
 3. The nozzle installation jig of claim 2, wherein theat least one sensor is configured to detect the position of the nozzlein a radial direction of the process vessel while the lower plate is incontact with a lower end of the peripheral vicinity of the lower endopening of the process vessel.
 4. The nozzle installation jig of claim1, wherein the notification device is fixed to the upper plate.
 5. Thenozzle installation jig of claim 4, wherein the notification devicecomprises a lamp configured to emit a light downward.
 6. The nozzleinstallation jig of claim 4, wherein the upper plate is provided with acontact structure made of a fluororesin such that at least two points onthe contact structure are configured to make contact with the innersurface of the process vessel.
 7. The nozzle installation jig of claim6, wherein the at least two points of the contact structure areseparated from each other by a width wider than a width of a nozzlechamber of the process vessel, and the contact structure is configuredto make contact with a cylindrical portion of the process vessel.
 8. Thenozzle installation jig of claim 1, wherein a length of the framecorresponds to a length of the nozzle in a vertical direction.
 9. Thenozzle installation jig of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor isconfigured to detect a relative position of the nozzle with respect toan inner surface of the process vessel while the lower plate is incontact with a lower end of a peripheral vicinity of the lower endopening of the process vessel and the upper plate is in contact with theinner surface of the process vessel.
 10. The nozzle installation jig ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a contact type sensorconfigured to be turned on and off according to a displacement amount ofa detector.
 11. The nozzle installation jig of claim 10, wherein thenotification device is turned on when the nozzle is farther from aninner surface of the process vessel than a predetermined position orwhen the nozzle is tilted inward in a radial direction of the processvessel.
 12. The nozzle installation jig of claim 1, wherein the at leastone sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, the notification devicecomprises a plurality of notification devices, the plurality of thesensors are configured to detect positions of a plurality of nozzlesarranged adjacent to each other in the process vessel, respectively, andthe plurality of the notification devices are configured to light indifferent colors.
 13. The nozzle installation jig of claim 1, whereinthe lower plate is provided with a hole through which a screwdriver isinserted, and the screwdriver is configured to tighten and loosen a tiltadjusting screw configured to correct a tilt of the nozzle.
 14. Thenozzle installation jig of claim 1, wherein the lower plate isconfigured to make contact with an inner surface of the process vesselin a vicinity of a lower end of the process vessel.
 15. The nozzleinstallation jig of claim 1, wherein the lower plate is provided with astep configured to make contact with a corner of the lower end openingof the process vessel.
 16. The nozzle installation jig of claim 1,wherein the lower plate is provided with an engaging structureconfigured to engage with a positioning structure provided on a lowersurface or an outer peripheral surface of a flange defining the lowerend opening of the process vessel.